Kota Kinabalu: A Sarawak-based party that failed to win any seat in that state the past 10 years feels it may have better luck in Sabah’s coming election.
Saying its move to expand to Sabah is also justified because “the hornbill also flies to Sabah” Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) on Friday became the first Sarawak party to formally establish a presence in the State. The hornbill is synonymous to Sarawak.
PBK President Voon Lee Shan said the party aims to raise awareness of constitutional rights and the right to self-determination for both Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the formation of Malaysia.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});“We want to work with any local party that prioritises Sabah’s rights. We are here to give Sabahans a new choice and to continue our efforts to claim what rightly belongs to Sabah and Sarawak,” he said. PBK is not part of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), the ruling coalition in Sarawak.
He said the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) must be upheld in full and that PBK supports any political movement in Sabah that shares this objective.
The PBK Sabah Chapter is led by Datin Soh Kee Kuat as its inaugural chairperson.
Soh said the chapter will focus on spreading awareness about the party’s mission and work with grassroots leaders throughout Sabah in preparation for the state election.
“We will go to the ground to listen and speak to the people. We want to remind Sabahans of the promises made under MA63 that have yet to be fulfilled,” she said.
The party is identifying potential candidates and constituencies and contest in areas where there is sufficient ground support. “No final decision has been made on the number of seats to be contested,” she said.
Former Nominated Assemblyman Datuk Ronnie Loh has also been appointed as deputy chairman of the Sabah chapter.
It contested 73 out of 82 seats in the 2021 state election but did not win any.
Voon said the party remains open to collaborations, but only with groups that share its ideals on autonomy and Bornean identity.
Also present at the launch were PBK Permanent Honorary Chairman Yii Ching Luk, Youth Group Chief Moh Hiong King, other party committee members and supporters.